Cricket: APD Dumfries claim Premier title

APD Dumfries won the CSL Western Premier league title at Benfield Park Nunholm in their final league game on Saturday after a decisive win over title rivals West of Scotland by a margin of 62 runs.

Dumfries were asked to bat in bowler friendly conditions and it required a crucial century partnership between Josh Geary and Tom McBride to fight back from a position of 34 for 3 after 17 overs. Geary went on to top score with a superb innings of 67 and Scotland U19 bat Tom McBride hit 35. That set the platform for a final overs onslaught that added eighty in the last ten overs to reach a challenging total of 196 for 7.

West were knocked back by opening bowlers Chris McCutcheon and Pat Druce to be two wickets down for just three runs. Alan Davidson took the third wicket when West were on 54 for 2 and remarkably he then went on to take a wicket in each of five consecutive overs to finish with a total of six wickets. That sank West’s title hopes and earned him the Solway Offset Man of the Match award.

He, and the other bowlers, were backed up by a series of fine catches with both Drew Dawson and Scott Beveridge taking exceptional efforts to put the side on the right track and when Lockhart was out caught by McCutcheon in the deep for 29, West were in dire straits at 93 for 7.

West of Scotland were finally all out for 134 to complete a comprehensive win by virtue of another team effort which was characteristic of the side’s efforts throughout the league season. That win in the club’s ‘biggest ever game’ meant that the side has won three consecutive league titles in three years.

This Saturday, APD Dumfries play Watsonians, winners of the Eastern Premier, in the Cricket Scotland Premiership Final in Edinburgh for the accolade of the top club side in Scotland.

Dumfries Women at Scottish Cup Finals Day

Also last Saturday, CWE Nunholm lost away at leaders Partick in the Reserve league.

A good batting effort by Nunholm reached 158 for 7 with Building Tec Man of the Match Richardson top scoring with 59. However that target was successfully passed with the loss of seven wickets.

On Sunday, in their Scottish Cup semi-final, Dumfries Women got close to Glasgow Accies’ total of 77 for 6 but lost by thirteen runs, six down for 64. Rachel Howard was the Parkdale Garage Player of the Match taking two wickets.